The ERK was only founded in September around the nucleus of disaffected former Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) members, and had set up representation on Tartu city council.

However, one of its members, Imre Vähi, decided to join the Center Party, meaning the ERK no longer had the requisite five deputies needed to form a party group within the legislature.

Vähi, who picked up 342 votes at the 2021 local elections, before the ERK was founded, said: "The team was good, if maybe a little lacking in clout."

"I don't see any great drama in joining the Center Party now, as there are certainly conservative forces in opposition," he continued.

"I think that my or [MEP] Jaak Madison's [joining Center] is certainly not the first or the last time conservatives will join the Center Party; even more than that, it demonstrates how strongly the Center Party is moving in a conservative direction," Vähi went on.

However, Vähi's move came as a surprise to ERK chair Silver Kuusik, who said: "First of all, I have to say that I haven't received the letter of resignation yet, plus there is a council sitting coming up on Thursday, so it probably won't get to the proceedings this Thursday."

"This means that formally Imre Vähi is still a member of our group, as of today," Kuusik added.

Kuusik said that time would be given for things to simmer down a bit, before considering what happens next.

"However, it is clear that my political group and my seat as the leader of that political group will evaporate, and this will probably also mean that most of the committees will have to make cuts in the number of members," he added.

The Tartu council's rules state that in order for a political party to form a group within the legislature, it must have a minimum of five councilors.

Vähi's leaving cuts the ERK's tally down to four.

The change leaves the city council with party groups representing Reform, the Social Democrats (SDE), Isamaa, and Eesti 200, meaning even with Vähi's switch, Center does not have enough deputies to form a group there at present.

The Reform Party has long been the dominant party in Tartu.

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